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 1969:
Cleo Rogers Memorial Library
Background music: Simon and Garfunkel, "The
Boxer"
The Cleo Rogers Memorial Library took almost
three years to build. It was designed by architect I.M. Pei, who
would go on to design many well-known buildings, including the Rock
and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. Construction began in November
of 1966, and the finished building was opened to the public in October
of 1969.
The population of the world was 3.6 billion,
having increased by 216 million during the three years of construction.
Other events that took place while the library
was being built include the assassinations of Martin Luther King,
Jr. and Robert Kennedy, and the election of Richard Nixon as the
37th President. Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators protested
the war in Viet Nam. The minimum wage was up to $1.60, and in July,
Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first men to walk on the
Moon.
The Beatles had released Sgt. Pepper,
Magical Mystery Tour, Yellow Submarine,
their White Album and their final album, Abbey
Road. Public Television had been created, and Sesame
Street was brand new. Also brand new in 1969 were Christian
Slater, Matthew Perry, and Nancy Kerrigan.
One of the final design elements to the Library
and the plaza it occupies was the Large Arch, added
in 1971. A gift from Mr. and Mrs. J. Irwin Miller, the massive 5-ton
sculpture was created by world-famous artist Henry Moore. Over the
years the Arch has been witness to a lot of activity in this popular
area, including outdoor concerts, art shows, and other community
events enjoyed by the citizens of Columbus.
More about late-1960s life
The National Organization of Women (NOW) was formed.
60 Minutes, Rowan and Martin's Laugh In,
and The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour.
2001: A Space Odyssey, Butch Cassidy and The
Sundance Kid, and Easy Rider.
The
Woodstock Music and Art Fair in upstate New York attracted about
500,000 enthusiasts for what was billed as "three days of peace,
love and music."
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